Heartwarming updates from adopted pets in new homes

No matter how big or small, young or old, it’s a magical moment when homeless pets have new families to love them. The wagging tails, rumbling purrs, and smiling faces are all the proof we need of that. From coast to coast, Best Friends Animal Society places thousands of pets in new homes each year as we work toward the goal of bringing all shelters across the country to no-kill in 2025.

Every adoption is a cause for celebration (and maybe a few happy tears). And because that joy is worth sharing, here are just a few messages we’ve received about dogs and cats in their new lives with their new favorite people.

Gravy is such a great addition to our animal family. We constantly thank the universe for sending him to us, and we are especially grateful to the Best Friends teams for all their efforts to make Gravy the right dog for us. They all worked to ensure that our other dogs would be a good match with Gravy. Gravy is a giant ball of love. We’re so glad to have him in our lives.

We love our Coconut! He fits in our family so perfectly. As soon as he was home and let out of the crate, he acted as if this has always been his home. He’s so great with my babies; he loves playing with them. He’s the biggest snuggle bug. You can always find him cuddling my husband in the strangest positions. Coconut loves being right next to us, so he follows us wherever we are in the house. He even sits with us during meals. We love him so very much. So thankful we found our perfect kitty.

Things are going well with Berry. He’s very affectionate and loves snuggling up on the big couch with us. He loves long sniff walks and playing with friends at the dog park. We sent him to training so that we could communicate better with him, and he’s learned a lot, including controlling his urge to jump up to greet us. He isn’t mouthy often while playing anymore, and he’s even learned a few nifty commands. We love him very much and the positive energy he brings to the house.

Waffles is doing great! She seems comfortable and good with my dog Kona already, which is shocking considering the size difference (Kona is 95 pounds). I haven’t introduced her to our goldendoodle yet, as I figured we’d start with our big mellow dog first. In a couple days, I’ll put up a gate with a cat door so Waffles can get in and out of the laundry room but the dogs can’t get in. She will then have full roam of the house and a safe place as well. She seems like a great cat so far, with a really sweet disposition.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2024 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill by 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.